Five spaces of cultural criminology

This article offers some reflections on the nature and role of space and spatial analysis in criminology. It proceeds in two parts. It starts by comparing and contrasting the spatial legacy of the Chicago School of sociology—seen by most as the progenitors of environmental criminology—with the general approach to space adopted by cultural geographers. The second part breaks new ground for criminology by positing five new areas—or ‘spaces’—of engagement that offer alternative ways of interpreting the relationship between space and crime, the ultimate aim being to challenge contemporary criminologists to think differently about how space is conceptualized and utilized within our discipline.